DETROIT - The sun has risen on the Red Wings since the dark day that began free agency, revealing that for all of the rejection, optimism should prevail.

It was eye-opening to see one targeted unrestricted free agent after another sign elsewhere, one for less money. But it's worth a reminder that this wasn't a haute shopping event. Of the right-handed-shooting defensemen the Wings made offers to — Matt Niskanen, Dan Boyle and Stephane Robidas — not one was going to plug the hole left when Brian Rafalski retired three years ago.

Niskanen was the best of the bunch, but he has nowhere near the tape-to-tape passing skills that made Rafalski so valuable to the Red Wings' puck-possession style. Boyle, 38 this month, has lost a step. Robidas is a serviceable second-pair guy.

As it stands, the Red Wings are going to be practically the same team that got bounced in the first round by the Boston Bruins. That doesn't sound like a ray of sunshine, except to consider the difference good health would make.

The Red Wings had superstars Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk play simultaneously in only 29 games. In those games, they achieved 32 points out of 58. Stephen Weiss missed 56 games, rendering it impossible to know whether he can be the team's legitimate second-line center. Darren Helm, the designated third-line center, missed 40 games. Johan Franzen was limited to 54 games — he scored 16 goals.

To save space, here's another way of looking at the 2013-14 Wings: Only two players appeared in all 82 games. One was Kyle Quincey, the defenseman re-signed after being rejected by righties throughout Tuesday's opening of free agency. The other was fourth-liner Drew Miller. Only an additional five skaters played in at least 70 games. That is how gutted the Wings were last season.

If the Red Wings can achieve a modicum of good health, they could add a half-dozen victories to the 39 of last season.

Another reason for optimism: Youngsters Riley Sheahan, Tomas Tatar, Tomas Jurco and Danny DeKeyser have gained NHL experience, including how difficult it is to be a factor in the playoffs. Gustav Nyquist learned a hard lesson about being an "everyday'er" after cramming 23 goals into 28 games only to have two assists the last six games of the regular season and then no points in the playoffs.

What the young guys did contribute last season is reason to like the future. Here's another: The Red Wings are going to give Anthony Mantha, a two-time 50-goal scorer in juniors, every chance during exhibition season to make next season's team. Xavier Ouellet, the young defenseman called upon for an elimination game, will be considered, too, as will right-shot defense prospect Ryan Sproul.

Last season demonstrated how well the Red Wings have drafted and developed. So add those young contributors to an even remotely healthier NHL-vetted squadron, and the future looks brighter than the dark clouds that hovered over Detroit on Tuesday evening.

Lastly, there's this: Boyle took less money than the Red Wings offered so he could join his friend Martin St. Louis with the New York Rangers. Robidas took the same money the Wings offered to play in Toronto, closer to his kids in Montreal. Niskanen took marginally more money to join his former mentor in Washington. But none of those targets was going to replace Nicklas Lidstrom or Rafalski. And by being rejected, the Wings retain room down the road to make a trade.

Stanley Cups are never won in July. The start of free agency was a dark day for the Red Wings, but the sun hasn't set yet.